The Watchman Group 
When you think of the S&P 500 Index, you probably think of a diversified index of the best, or at least the biggest, 500 companies in the nation. While this is generally correct, the S&P 500 is currently the most concentrated it has been in four decades. The top ten most highly-valued companies in the … Read more
Exciting News! The Watchman Group is thrilled to announce that we were named one of the “2023 Top Wealth Management Firms and Teams” in North Texas. We are proud to be recognized among the best in the industry, a testament to our commitment to excellence and client satisfaction. As we celebrate this achievement, we’d like … Read more
2023 Defies Predictions 2023 began the year with most economists predicting the economy would fall into a recession and the majority of investment strategists expecting stock markets to struggle. Defying these pessimistic forecasts, the economy grew at a 2.6% real rate (6% in nominal terms) and the S&P 500 earned a total return of 26%. … Read more
Key Takeaways: You can save a lot in taxes by strategically planning charitable contributions before selling your business, resulting in substantial tax savings and increased charitable contributions. Donating a portion of the business to a charitable account requires careful planning and engagement with wealth managers, CPAs, and attorneys. The timing, analysis, and valuation involved make … Read more
Several trends changed course in the third quarter as both stocks and bonds fell a er rising in the first half of 2023. The reversal reflected concerns about rising rates, Fitch’s downgrade of US Government debt, and the narrow avoidance of a government shutdown. Despite the negative quarter, signs in the economy are positive. The … Read more
Tax Efficiency and Investment Gains: Unraveling the Stocks vs. Bonds Debate Key takeaways: Equity Risk Premium: The equity risk premium, ranging from 3.5% to 5.5%, represents the extra return expected from stocks due to their risk compared to safer investments. When combined with the 5% return from Treasury Bills, it suggests stocks may provide around … Read more
Bankrate.com recently shared the results of a survey they conducted and the results drew our attention. When asked, “What annual income would you need to feel financially secure/comfortable?” Bankrate reports the following: Gen Xers (1965-1980) felt they would need $273,000 per year Baby Boomers (1946-1964) thought $240,000 would suffice Interestingly, Millennials (1981-1996) agreed upon $224,000 … Read more
On August 1st, the credit rating agency Fitch downgraded the sovereign debt of the United States from AAA to AA+. Fitch is one of three credit rating agencies that also includes Moody’s and Standard and Poor’s. In some respects, downgrading debt issued by the U.S. Treasury is total nonsense, but in other ways, it is … Read more
It is remarkable how consistent total returns have been for the U.S. stock market over the long term. For the last 5, 10, and 15 years the returns have been 11.2%, 12.2%, and 10.6%, respectively. During those periods, our country has experienced a generational financial crisis, a pandemic, multiple wars, inflation spikes, energy crises, terrorism, … Read more
Super Bowl XVIII was played 39 years ago in Tampa Bay and featured the Los Angeles Raiders taking on the Washington Redskins. Raiders fans will remember that they routed the favored Redskins by a final score of 38 – 9 to win their third (and last) Super Bowl Championship. At the beginning of 1984 and … Read more
